Three-year old hero Jack saved our lives’
Published: December 19, 2005
We could have died’ in flat blaze says rescued mum.
Tightly holding her three-year-old son, Jane Knightly cannot quite believe the events of the past week.
Jane and her son Jack narrowly escaped death when their fourth-floor flat in Borehamwood burst into flames after a faulty fan heater set alight to a bed.
Jack, who has since been hailed as a hero by family and friends, woke up after he smelt the smoke and quickly alerted his mother who was sleeping while flames ripped through their home in Gloucester House, Stratfield Road.
As they fled to Jack’s bedroom, to escape the fire await rescue, Jane frantically opened the window and held her son up against it so he could breath some fresh air.
Firefighters, who later said they were seconds from death’, rescued the pair. Both were treated for smoke inhalationat Barnet Hospital.
“At first, you’re just so panicky and just thinking about how to get out,” said 20-year-old Jane.
“Then, when it’s all over you think about what could have happened. We could have died. I just broke down thinking about it.”
Jane moved into the Ridgehill property when Jack was a baby and had numerous problems with the heating.
“The flat was so cold we had to wear thick jumpers to bed,” she said. “If we just wore our pyjamas, we would have died from pneumonia.”
On the night of the fire, Jane had borrowed a heater from her mother, which was given to her by Ridgehill Housing Association.
Jane said: “The flat has been a safety hazard from day one. It’s just been one thing after another, and the faulty heater was the last straw.”
In response, Ridgehill’s Director of Housing and Property, Michelle Reynolds, said: “If a resident reports a fault with their heating system, that cannot be repaired within 24 hours, Ridgehill will arrange for one of our contractors to provide temporary electric heaters.
“Once the heating is repaired, residents are requested to return the heaters to Ridgehill. This ensures that regular checks can be carried out to the equipment before it is supplied to another resident.”
As the Knightly’s flat is gutted, the family are now living temporarily with Jane’s mother in Manor Way. Jack returned to nursery on Wednesday.
“Jack’s our hero,” said Jane. “He’s one in a million and he saved our lives that night.
“I would just like to thank all our family and friends who have been so supportive and lent us clothes and everything we needed. And to the firefighters who have also been amazing. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts as without you, we may not be here today.”
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